Early Pregnancy Symptoms

One of the top Google topics in the world is early pregnancy symptoms. The rate at which people are getting pregnant all over the world is immense. At the moment, girls as young as 12 years are engaging in active sexual intercourse. While the legal age for consent in most countries is 18 years, it is virtually impossible to monitor the sex lives of the children out there. This is not to mean that the topic is not popular among older people. As such, this article seeks to explore the common early pregnancy symptoms.  

Prickling and tingling nipples are the first common sign of early pregnancy. Often, tingling nipples occur about one week after conception since the pregnancy hormones start increasing the blood flow to your nipples. The sensation tends to subside as you get used to it and as the body adapts to the new condition. Changes that occur in the nipples is one of the earliest pregnancy signs that an individual can look for. Later on as the pregnancy progresses, most of the women normally experience swollen breasts, which become increasingly tender to touch. However, this occurs later on, approximately 6 weeks into the pregnancy. Some women may notice that the breast become fuller and some bluish veins may be visible. The tenderness of breasts usually occur in greater intensity during the first trimester. The intensity of tenderness also tends to dwindle during the 2nd and the 3rd trimesters.

Spotting and cramping is one of the other early pregnancy symptoms. Spotting often occurs during the early stages of pregnancy as a result of implantation. Once the egg is implanted into the uterus, one may experience very light bleeding and blood spots in the panties. Spotting may also occur around the time when you normally expect your periods. Often, this is the result of hormonal changes as the body adapts to the pregnancy. As such, spotting can be used as one of the earliest tell signs of pregnancy. 

In addition, the occurrence of morning sickness and general nausea is a sign that the woman is pregnant. Morning sickness usually does not affect every woman; the lucky ones usually escape unscathed. However, most of the women begin getting nausea once they become pregnant. In fact, one of the most common and public signs of pregnancy is the occurrence of morning sickness. In general, nausea can occur in the morning, during the day and at night. Often, the woman may vomit all over the place and experience headaches.

Fatigue and a need to pee frequently often accompany pregnancy during the early stages. As an early pregnancy symptom, peeing frequently may not be very conclusive. The need to pee usually increases as the pregnancy progresses. Often, it is attributed to the fact the baby rests on the urinary bladder therefore its inability to hold urine for long. In addition, due to the pregnancy hormones, a larger volume of blood is produced in your body. In essence, this means that the kidneys are working extra hard to clean the blood in the body. It is the body's way of protecting the baby as well as the mother from toxic substances within the blood. Fatigue on the other hand is a common symptom, as the body prepares for the baby, various changes occur within your internal system.

As the changes occur within your body, one of the early pregnancy symptoms is the darkening of your nipples. This is normally lumped together with the skin color changes that afflict most women during the period of pregnancy. The vagina may also change in color growing to purplish or red. The hormonal changes that occur as a result of pregnancy usually vary from one person to the next.  

The surest early pregnancy symptom is the missing of your period. Before we explore this particular early pregnancy symptom, it is important to note that not every time that an individual misses their period, they are pregnant. Women can have irregular periods, which occur at different times of the year. That being said, missing your period is often a sign that implantation has occurred. This changes the hormonal imbalance of the body therefore leading to the absence of the period. However, the surest way to determine if you are pregnant is by taking a test, preferably at a medical center or facility. 

Complications During Pregnancy

What causes complications during pregnancy?

Pregnancy is the most wanted stage in every woman’s life, and complications in it may be a result of mainly stress and over exertion. But these are not the only factors responsible for pregnancy complications. There are various other mental and physical health issues as well that cause pregnancy complication in women. Smoking and alcohol are also huge factors responsible for these complications. But every factor causes different type of complications and those are as given below:

1. Ectopic Pregnancy:

This Ectopic pregnancy can be caused by an STD, like chlamydia or an infection like pelvic inflammatory disease. At the risk of this type of complication are the women who have undergone sterilization procedures or have been diagnosed with endometriosis or other female reproductive disorders. If the fallopian tube is getting tighter or in some cases it’s getting narrow then the egg is fertilized outside the uterus and in the tube, thereby getting the name as ‘Tubal pregnancy.’ This complication causes severe pelvic pain, heavy bleeding and may also result in death in some rare cases. So in such cases emergency surgery or Methotrexate are used for treatment.

2. Rh Negative Disease:

The name of this complication is Rhesus isoimmunization and it is determined by the presence of a protein surrounding red blood cells. In the absence of this protein a woman is considered Rh negative. If the mother is Rh negative and her child is born Rh positive; then she starts to build antibodies up against the next Rh positive baby. At the beginning of the pregnancy, mother is tested to see if she has been sensitized. Which means that whether the baby’s red blood cells have been affected by the mother’s developed antibodies? In this case RhoGAM is a medication given around 28 weeks to prevent the build-up of these antibodies. It is given again at birth, if the baby is Rh positive.

3. Group B Strep:

This is the leading cause of infections in newborns, Group B strep. It’s not a group A strep or strep throat. Most doctors find Group B Strep through cultures during pregnancy. It can be treated during or after pregnancy.

4. Preterm Labor:

This takes place when the mother’s body is trying to deliver the baby before she has reached full-term i.e. 37 weeks. In this case there is a risk of delivering the baby too early or when the contractions are close, stronger and longer. There may be feeling like that of menstrual cramping or a subtle backache. Yet in certain serious situation, bed rest and medications are necessary to help the pregnancy go full-term.

5. Gestational Diabetes:

This condition develops during pregnancy, that too when a woman’s body is not making enough insulin. Usually it is developed during second trimester and it cannot be treated with the help of pills, and mostly the treatment is through diet or insulin.

6. Low Birth Weight:

Such a condition occurs by poor nutrition, along with certain substance used like cigarettes, or alcohol, or even drugs. It can be an effect of a STD or maybe some other contagious diseases or no pre-natal care. Whenever a baby is born pre-maturely it stays in the hospital for up to four months. But the babies that are born at a low birth rate run the risk of respiratory infections and blindness with learning disabilities or cerebral palsy and heart infections.

7. Miscarriage:

This is the loss of a pregnancy in the first 20 weeks. For about 10 to 20 percent of known pregnancies end in miscarriage and more than 80 percent of miscarriages happen before the 12 weeks. In the first trimester mostly miscarriages are believed to be caused by chromosomal abnormalities in the fertilized egg, which keeps the embryo from developing. The first sign is usually vaginal spotting or bleeding, so call your healthcare practitioner right away if you notice any such sign. Though it is not so uncommon to spot or bleed in early pregnancy even if you're not miscarrying. Moreover if your practitioner suspects a miscarriage, then she'll order an ultrasound to see what is going on in your uterus and possibly do a blood test.

8. Preeclampsia:

It is a complex disorder that affects about 5 percent of pregnant women. If you are diagnosed with preeclampsia then you have high blood pressure and protein in your urine after 20 weeks of pregnancy. In case of most expectant mothers who get preeclampsia, develop a mild version near their due date and they and their babies do fine with proper care. Yet in case of severe preeclampsia the affects may be on many organs and cause serious or even life-threatening problems. So women whose preeclampsia is severe or getting worse, need to deliver early.

9. Low amniotic fluid:

Usually the amniotic sac fills with fluid that protects and supports your developing baby. When there's too little fluid, then it is called oligohydramnios. As per the March of Dimes, for about 4 percent of pregnant women have low levels of amniotic fluid at some point, which is usually in their third trimester.

10. Placenta previa:

Well, if you have placenta previa, then your placenta is lying unusually low in your uterus, and next to or covering your cervix. It isn't usually a problem early in pregnancy. Yet if the placenta remains dangerously low as your pregnancy progresses, then it can cause bleeding, leading to other complications and may require you to deliver early. However the location of your placenta will be checked during midpregnancy ultrasound exam. But only a small percentage of women who have placenta previa in midpregnancy still have it when they deliver their baby. It is usually present in up to 1 in 200 deliveries.

These are the complications that usually takes place during pregnancy. So in order to avoid these circumstances have a word with your doctor as soon as you get to know about your pregnancy and try to stay away from all the harms for the safety and health of you and your baby.

Third Trimester Pregnancy: Week 28 – Week 40

About 3rd trimester pregnancy

The third trimester of pregnancy is quite challenging, the baby's size and position make it hard for you to stay active. You eagerly wait for the next stage. Try to stay positive as you look forward to welcome your baby which now weighs 2 ¼ pounds. He can blink eyes which now have lashes. The wrinkled skin becomes smooth as the baby puts on baby fat. She develops toenails, fingernails, hair and lots of neurons in the brain. The baby spends her final weeks in utero putting on weight gradually. In the full term, the average baby is 19 inches long and weighs about 7 pounds.

Symptoms during 3rd trimester pregnancy

Now the baby's movements become more obvious but these thrilling sensations are often accompanied by the symptoms and increasing discomfort.

You can notice the following challenging symptoms:

• Weight gain
• Continued breast growth
•     Back aches
•     Braxton Hicks contractions
•     Heartburn
•     Shortness of breath
•     Swelling
•     Frequent urination
•     Hemorrhoids, spider veins and varicose veins
•     Vaginal discharge

Weeks during 3rd  trimester pregnancy

In the third trimester, a woman reaches the stage where the tiny fertilized egg is now fully transformed into a human baby. The whole journey of the baby from conception to birth is really awe - inspiring.

Following are the final changes that occur during this last stage of pregnancy:

• 28 week of pregnancy: The weight of the baby by this week is 2 1/4 pounds and measures 14.8 inches. The eyesight develops; he can see the light that filters in through the womb. The development of billions of neurons also takes place in the brain. There is an addition of more body fat before coming to the outside world.

• 29 week of pregnancy: At this stage, the lungs and muscles become mature; the head grows bigger for proper development of the brain. Now the weight of the baby is 2 ½ pounds and to meet the nutritional demands of the baby, the mother requires folic acid, protein, vitamin C and iron. The bones soak up lots of calcium, this week about 250 milligrams of calcium are deposited in the baby's hardening skeleton every day.

• 30 week of pregnancy: The baby is developing very fast, now he grows about 15.7 inches long and weighs nearly 3 pounds. The baby takes up more room in the uterus as she gets bigger. There is continues development in the eyesight though it's not very keen even after the birth as the eyes are closed for a long part of the day.

• 31 week of pregnancy: At this week, the baby grows up to 16 inches long; he weighs about 3 1/3 pounds. The baby grows very fast. He can move his head. The arms, legs and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat gathers under his skin. The mother can have trouble sleeping as now baby moves a lot, his kicks and somersaults keep the mother awake.

• 32 week of pregnancy: At this stage, the mother starts gaining a pound every week and roughly half of what goes to the baby. The weight of the baby is 3 ¾ pounds and grows up to 16. 7 inches long. The baby becomes fat to survive outside the womb. The skin becomes smooth and soft.

• 33 week of pregnancy: Now at this week, the baby weighs over 4 pounds and has reached 17 inch mark. He starts losing the wrinkles skin and the skeleton become hard. The bones are not fused together in his skull that allows them to move making it easy for the baby to fit through the birth canal. Due to intense pressure on the head during birth, often the baby is born with a cone head like appearance.

• 34 week of pregnancy: In this week the weight of the baby is about 4 ¾ pounds and grows up to 18 inches long. The fat layers are filling, making the baby rounder; it helps to regulate the body temperature once the baby is born. The central nervous system starts maturing as well as the lungs. If you feel nervous about premature labor, you will be happy that baby born between 37 weeks has no health issues.

• 35 week of pregnancy: At this stage, the baby is over 18 inches long and 5 1/4 pounds. The baby no more does somersaults as it is so snug in your womb. Kidneys, liver are fully developed and can process some waste products.

• 36 week of pregnancy: The baby is still putting on pounds, at the rate of an ounce a day. The weight reaches up to 6 pounds and more than 18 1/2 inches long. Now the baby swallows the waxy substance that covered her skin during the nine month amniotic bath along with other secretions that results in a black substance known as meconium that comes out during the baby's first bowel movement.

• 37 week of pregnancy: Until this week, the growth is still in progress. By the next two weeks, the lungs and brain of the baby fully matures. The baby weighs 6 1/3 pounds and measures about 19 inches long. Many babies are born with full head of hair with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long.

• 38 week of pregnancy: Reaching this week, the weight of the baby is 6.8 pounds and grows about 19 1/2 inches long. The organs fully mature and become ready for life outside the womb. The color of the eyes differs accordingly, if the baby is born with brown eyes, they will likely stay brown. If the baby is born with dark blue eyes, they may stay blue or gray or green by the time the baby is 9 months old.

• 39 week of pregnancy: The baby continues to build fat layer up to this week. It helps to control the body temperature after the baby is born. He now weighs a bit over 7 pounds and measures about 20 inches, the outer layers of his skin sloughs off as new skin forms under the skin.

• 40 week of pregnancy: You cannot say how big your baby will be as soon as he is born. The average weight is about 7 ½ pounds and about 20 inches long. But the skull bones are not yet fused that allows them to overlap during labor. After birth the head may be of a cone shape, but it is normal and temporary.

Changes in your body during 3rd trimester pregnancy

After waiting for months, the due date rolls around and it can be frustrating but in common situation, you may not be as late as you think. At the end of the pregnancy, heavy vaginal discharge is common. If you saturate a panty liner within a few hours or wonder if the discharge is leaking amniotic fluid, immediately contact your doctor.

Tips for a Healthy Pregnancy

Being pregnant is a wonderful experience, you can enjoy every moment if you take good care of yourself. The health of the baby depends upon the health of a woman who is expecting. Doing regular exercise and taking a proper diet reduces complications of pregnancy, it helps to give birth to a healthy baby successfully.

Effective Tips for a Healthy Pregnancy

Following are the effective tips that help to keep you and your child healthy:

1. Include essential nutrients to your diet

You already know the importance of a good diet. A balanced diet reduce the risk of pregnancy complications, it helps to reduce fatigue, morning sickness and even anemia.  To balance mood swings, which is common problem of a pregnant women, intake of good nutrition is very important. A highly nutritional diet is directly linked to a higher possibility of a normal birth weight, improving the development of fetal brain as well as reducing much other risk of birth defects. A well balanced diet must contain vitamin C, protein, fruits, veggies, calcium, iron rich foods, adequate fat and whole grains. Eat a variety of foods from each of these food groups daily.

2. Avoid these foods

Prefer only pasteurized cheese, milk or juice to prevent parasitic infection or Listeriosis and to protect your baby from harmful bacteria. Avoid refrigerated foods, undercooked poultry, meat and seafood. Smoked seafood is also unhealthy. Consult your doctor which food to avoid during pregnancy.

3. Focus on prenatal vitamins

Besides eating nutritious foods, prenatal vitamin supplements are equally important for keeping your baby healthy. Often pregnant ladies don’t get time to plan three nutrient filled meals, for extra nutrition, a vitamin supplement helps a lot in the development of the fetus. It is important to take folic acid supplements which is a B vitamin, Folic acid supplements taken prior to pregnancy and for the starting 12 weeks of pregnancy reduces the risk of neural tube defect in a child by up to 75%. There are prenatal vitamins that contain one milligram of folic acid which can be used as a source of this acid. Before taking a prenatal supplement it’s important to talk to your doctor.

4. Do exercise during your pregnancy

During pregnancy moderate exercise is encouraged, every day doing exercise for 30 minutes helps to lessen stress, improves circulation and strengthens muscles. Start your exercise regime after talking to your doctor; it’s very important if you are having any complications. For pregnant women, exercise classes are designed such as yoga. It relaxes your body and mind as well as improves posture and alignment. Kegel and squatting exercises should be performed daily. Kegel exercise tightens the vaginal and perineal muscles, this exercise helps to tone the muscles and increase control in the perineal area and it helps a lot at the time of baby’s birth.

5. Give out bad habits

Healthy lifestyle makes a good impact on health of the growing fetus. You must give out bad habits such as drinking alcohol and smoking. These habits are directly linked to severe complications. During pregnancy drinking alcohol creates many problems in the developing baby. Alcohol enters into the fetal bloodstream in the same amount as in mother which results in fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). It causes several defects in the infants; they can be mentally deficient with multiple deformities, underweight as well as a high rate of mortality.

During pregnancy, alcohol consumption can also leads to complications that involves abnormal growth, low birth weight, miscarriage, developmental problems in childhood, premature labor and delivery.

Smoking during pregnancy is risky; it affects blood flow and delivery of oxygen to the baby which affects the growth. The most common cause of low birth-weight babies is cigarette smoking as well as certain illness in the first three weeks. It also causes vaginal bleeding, ectopic pregnancy, premature placental detachment and premature labor and delivery.

6. Prevention is better than cure

The best way to avoid any kind of illness is prevention. Taking plenty of rest, eating a healthy diet, washing hands thoroughly, using hand sanitizers are the key to good health. Go for a seasonal flu shot, it is suggested for women who are in their second or third trimester. Seasonal flu virus and swine flu are hazardous to a pregnant woman. There are certain illnesses during pregnancy that need proper medical care such as genital herpes, asthma. Women who are pregnant and suffering from asthma have a great risk of developing preeclampsia which may cause birth defects in the baby or premature delivery. An effective treatment can control asthma during pregnancy.

Conclusion

For maintaining the health of you and your baby talk to your doctor about the treatments that are safe. Medications or supplements such as ibuprofen and aspirin that are usually used to treat common cold, flu and pains are not recommended during pregnancy.

8 Most Beautiful Ways to Announce Pregnancy!

Pregnancy is a state, wherein after conformation some women want to just shout it out and tell the world. On the other side some women are reluctant on saying this. Well, there are various ideas for both an introvert and an extrovert woman to tell their near and dear ones about this exciting news, giving them butterflies. So if you are pregnant and want to tell the world, then here are some creative ways to announce your pregnancy. With some simply fun ways to tell your sweetie you are expecting.

  

• Peas in a Pod: This is one most amazing way to declare your pregnancy to your sweetheart. In a survey conducted most women said that they have told their husbands about their pregnancy using the above words. You can even place a dried pea in his hand or a plate and say, 'Want to hear something amazing, this is how small your baby is right now.' Then see how his face goes from confusion to joy and tears; it's simply wonderful.

• You've Got Mail: Just take a digital picture of the pregnancy test and email it to your friends. The picture is a great idea because the test is a digital test and it says that you are PREGNANT. After this you might receive a lot of compliments on your presentation of this exciting news. This idea is definitely a different one and a modern way of sharing the results with friends and family who are not close by.

• First Photo Surprise: Well! This is something easy and can be done by all. Just have copies of your ultrasound picture made and send them to all your out of town relatives saying there would be a new member to the family on your due date. When everyone receives them, you will surely get many happy phone calls with everyone being so excited.

• Royal Delivery: This is something innovative! If you find out that you are pregnant and want to announce this to your family or kitty friends then what you can do is order a special occasion cake and have it served at your table at dessert time. Have the cake in pink, white and blue color and then read 'We're Having a Baby!' With this idea you can even surprise your hubby and it's quite certain that he will like this idea of yours.  

• How Hot Am I?: This is a usual thing and it takes place quite often. This happens that you hadn't been feeling well like morning sickness and your husband knew it. After the pregnancy test you take it to him and say that you can't read this thermometer, can he? After which, like a few seconds of consideration, he turns to you with a goofy grin and look of surprise and asks, "Really?"

• Special Dedication: To tell your family that you are expecting your first child, purchase children's books such as Where the Wild Things Are and sign them, "Please read this to me in October or November if I'm late. Love Baby 'last name'." then catch their reaction on video and treasure it forever!

• Crib Surprise: If you find that you are pregnant, in the middle of the afternoon, then you certainly have to wait all day for your husband to come home. Then, when he comes in he asks how you were doing, just say in a very stern voice, "You need to go downstairs to the spare room and see what your dog did!" He will certainly be tired and frustrated that you couldn't just take care of the problem. But that will all go away when he sees the baby crib set up with stuffed animals and the positive test strip inside.

• Take Baby Bites: Try this super cool and yummy idea. Prepare everything 'baby' for dinner; like baby potatoes, baby carrots, lamb chops etc. then ask him to taste and whether he tastes a theme? He will surely get the picture or a gist of what you are trying to tell him. 

These are some amazing ways to tell your pregnancy, with innovative ideas. Try any of these to make this news reach your husband and family members.

Second Trimester Pregnancy: Week 14 – Week 27

About 2nd trimester pregnancy

As second trimester starts, you start feeling the movements of the baby. At this stage the baby grows up to 3 1/2 inches in size and 1 1/2 ounces in weight. The unique fingerprints develop and as more week passes the rubbery cartilage starts changing to bone and finally the skeleton becomes hard. In most women, morning sickness stops completely by the second trimester. The doctor will be able to detect the heartbeat of the baby at around 12 weeks. 

 Symptoms during 2nd trimester pregnancy

As soon as you enter the second trimester of pregnancy you will notice other physical signals that your baby is thriving.

It is possible that you start experiencing the following symptoms at this stage:

• Heartburn
• Congestion
• Inflammation and swelling in feet or ankles
• Absentmindedness
• Increased appetite
• Skin changes
• Stronger sex drive
• Varicose veins
• Hemorrhoids

Weeks during 2nd trimester pregnancy

In the second trimester, you can feel the newly coordinated arms and legs of the baby. The baby develops senses and can see, taste, hear and smell. Capillaries forms to carry blood through the body and the small eyes starts to open. 

The following big developments take place in the baby during the second trimester:

• 14 week of pregnancy: This week the baby's liver starts making bile and his spleen starts contributing in the production of red blood cells. He measures about the size of a lemon that is 3 1/2 inches and he weighs 1 1/2 ounces. The body starts growing faster than his head. At the end of this week, the arms will have grown to a length that is in proportion to the rest of the body. The super fine hair covering known as lanugo starts developing all over his body.

• 15 week of pregnancy: At this stage the arms and legs grows longer and now the baby can move all the joints and limbs. The amniotic fluid from the nose and upper respiratory tract starts moving; this helps in the development of the primitive air sacs in the baby's lungs. The eyelids don't open but your baby can sense light now.

• 16 week of pregnancy: The baby now grows about the size of an avocado that is 4 ½ inches long and 3 ½ ounces. The scalp starts forming but the hairs are not yet recognizable. The eyes moves closer to the front of the head and ears are now close to their final position. The heart starts pumping 25 quarts of blood every day.

• 17 week of pregnancy: During this week the soft cartilage starts changing into bone and the umbilical cord the lifeline to the placenta starts growing thicker and stronger. The weight of your baby is b ounces and the size grows about 5 inches long from top to bottom. Sweat glands started developing and the baby can move the joints.

• 18 week of pregnancy: The arms and legs becomes flexible and the size of the baby is around 5 ½ inches and weighs about 7 ounces. The blood vessels become visible through the thin skin, and ears come in their final position. Around his nerves a protective covering of myelin starts forming. The genitals are noticeable now.

• 19 week of pregnancy: The baby grows about the size of an heirloom tomato, the arms and legs are now in the correct proportions to each other. The kidneys make urine and the hair starts sprouting out. Vernix caseosa, this is a waxy protective coating that begins to form on her skin to prevent it from pickling in the amniotic fluid.

• 20 week of pregnancy: The weight of the baby is about 10 1/2 ounces now. The size is around 6 1/2 inches starting from the head to bottom and up to 10 inches from head to heel. The black sticky by product of digestion known as meconium starts producing as baby starts swallowing more these days. The substance gets accumulated in the bowels that you can see in the first soiled diaper of the baby.

• 21 week of pregnancy: The weight of the baby is now about three-quarters pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long that is the size of a carrot. You may feel the full-fledged kicks and nudges of the baby. The eyebrows and lids are now present and now the sexual organs also start forming.

• 22 week of pregnancy: By the 22 week, the size of the baby is about 11 inches and now he starts looking like a miniature newborn. Tiny tooth buds under the gums develops and the eyes are also formed but the irises still lack pigment.

• 23 week of pregnancy: The baby develops the sense of movement at this stage, he can feel you moving. Now he weighs over a pound and more than 11 inches long. Blood vessels develop in her lungs for breathing.

• 24 week of pregnancy: The baby starts growing steadily about 4 ounces since last week. That puts the baby at about 1 1/3 pounds. The body is now filling out proportionally and he'll soon begin to plump up. The brain is also developing rapidly and so his taste buds.

• 25 week of pregnancy: The baby now measures about 13 1/2 inches. The weight is around 1 1/2 pounds and now the baby starts getting some fat. The skin becomes smooth and he looks exactly like a newborn. The hairs now become thicker and you are able to discern the color and texture of your baby.

• 26 week of pregnancy: The network of nerves in the ears is now even more developed and sensitive than before. The baby can hear your voice. He starts inhaling and exhaling amniotic fluid in a small amount which is important for the development of his lungs.

• 27 week of pregnancy: The weight of your baby is almost 2 pounds now and is about 14 1/2 inches long. At this stage the baby wakes and sleeps at regular intervals, opens and closes eyes and perhaps even sucks his fingers. The brain of the baby is very active now due to the development of more brain tissue.

Changes in your body during 2nd trimester pregnancy

At the end of the second trimester you may start observing some new symptoms. That includes back ache, you may even notice that the muscles of your leg cramp up every now and then as they are carrying extra weight.  The expanding uterus puts pressure on the veins that return blood from the legs towards heart and also on the nerves starting from the trunk to legs. The cramps may get worse as the pregnancy progresses. Take proper care to get a healthy baby and to reduce any complications.

First Trimester Pregnancy: Week 1 – Week 13

About 1st trimester pregnancy

Pregnancy is measured in trimesters, starting from the first day of your last menstrual period, totaling 40 weeks. The first trimester of pregnancy is week 1 through week 12, about 3 months. The second starts from week 13 to week 27 whereas the third trimester of pregnancy spans from week 28 till the birth.

Every week your body undergoes certain changes, however after fertilization, the egg that is fertilized develops into a microscopic ball of cells known as blastocyst, which implants on the uterus wall. A series of physical and hormonal changes in the body are triggered by this implantation.

After this, begins the embryonic stage that is the third through eight weeks of growth. The embryo develops most major organs of the body. During this development, the embryo is highly vulnerable to damaging substances such as infectious disease, alcohol and radiation.

Symptoms during 1st trimester pregnancy

Early pregnancy is the emotional stage of life; it brings lots of excitement and thrilling knowledge that you have created a new life. There are different symptoms of pregnancy, which takes a little time getting used to it.

These are some of the following symptoms of pregnancy:

• Lower abdominal cramps
• Food cravings
• Morning sickness 
• Breast changes
• Constipation
• Increased urination

Weeks during 1st trimester pregnancy

The following changes take place week by week:

• 1 week of pregnancy: In the first trimester certain changes takes place in the body before your baby actually starts growing. The first trimester is from week 1 to the end of week 12 and the second trimester starts from the week 13. The first week is actually your menstrual period, because the expected delivery date (EDD) is calculated from the first day of the last period.
• 2 week of pregnancy: At the beginning of the second week that is often around day 14 of a 28-day cycle you ovulate; one of your eggs is swept away from your ovary and into a Fallopian tube. The sperms that your mate ejaculates manage to swim from the vagina through the cervix, to the fallopian tube and penetrate the egg.
• 3 week of pregnancy: In the third week your baby is just a tiny ball that contains hundreds of cells that multiplies rapidly. At this time amniotic fluid begin to collect around your ball of cells in the cavity that would develop into the amniotic sac. This fluid cushions the baby till the next weeks and months ahead.
• 4 week of pregnancy: The fourth week is the beginning of the embryonic period. From now till the next 10 weeks, all the baby's organs will start to develop and some will even start to function. At this stage the baby is an embryo, just the size of a poppy seed, containing two layers epiblast and hypoblast, from which all the body part develops.
• 5 week of pregnancy: In the fifth week, the baby grows to the size of a sesame seed that resembles a tiny tadpole than a human. There are now three layers, endoderm, mesoderm and ectoderm. These layers will later form all the tissues and organs.
• 6 week of pregnancy: The sixth week is the major developments of the ears, nose and mouth. In the uterus there is an oversized head and dark spots, this is where the baby's nostrils and eyes form. The emerging ears are marked by tiny depressions on the head sides and arms and legs by protruding bud.
• 7 week of pregnancy: In the seventh week hands and feet emerge from developing arms and legs. They look like paddles, technically at this stage the baby is still considered an embryo and develops a small tail which is actually an extension of the tailbone.
• 8 week of pregnancy: Now in the eighth week webbed fingers and toes poke out from the baby's hands and feet, eyelids develops to cover the eyes, breathing tubes spread from his throat to the branches of the developing lungs and the tail disappears.
• 9 week of pregnancy: At the ninth week the embryonic "tail" disappears completely. The muscles, nerves and organs develop. The eyelids are fused shut and earlobes, nostrils and mouth appears more distinct.  However the sex organs cannot be identified for the next few weeks.
• 10 week of pregnancy: At the tenth week he is barely the size of a kumquat. The baby has now developed to the most critical portion. This is the beginning of the fetal period. At this stage the organs and tissues in the body rapidly matures.
• 11 week of pregnancy: At this stage the baby grows 1 1/2 inches long, about the size of a fig. After sometime the hands will soon open and close into fists and some of her bones also start to harden. The tiny movements start that look like water ballet.
• 12 week of pregnancy: The most dramatic development takes place in this week. If you prod your abdomen the baby will squirm in response but you cannot feel it. The intestines that have grown rapidly protrude into the umbilical cord, that starts moving into the abdominal cavity and the kidneys start excreting urine into the bladder. The baby grows 2 inches long, about the size of a lime as well as weighs about half an ounce. 
• 13  week of pregnancy: This is the latest week of your first trimester, and your danger of miscarriage is presently much lower than prior in pregnancy. Tiny bones are starting to structure in her arms and legs, the intestines are starting to move from the umbilical cord to the abdomen, and the vocal lines are well under development.

Baby's growth and development during 1st trimester pregnancy

During the three to four-day trip to your uterus from your Fallopian tube, the fertilized egg now known as zygote will split into 16 identical cells. The zygote is called a morula once it enters the uterus. After one or two days it will start delving into the lush lining of the uterus continuing its amazing growth and development. As you want your body to be in the perfect shape for baby's development do not forget to take a multivitamin every day that contains 400 micrograms of folic acid to reduce any risks of birth defects.

Pregnancy: What Women Should Know?

Pregnancy and that whole phase of pregnancy is a wonderful stage in an amazing and blissful experience for every woman. Yet it is essential that every woman knows the basic tips for care and precautions during pregnancy. Doctors do let you know but apart from this your own knowledge also matters a lot. So here is a small guide for you. 

What is pregnancy?

Before gaining any knowledge it is essential to know, what exactly is pregnancy and how does it take place. Well, it is known to all that a male sperm penetrates an egg and fertilizes it. The process usually happens in the woman's fallopian tube after ovulation, i.e. when the matured egg was released from one of her ovaries.

There are 23 chromosomes in a sperm, which includes one of two types of sex chromosomes, i.e. X chromosome or Y chromosome. Sperm with an X chromosome that fertilizes an egg will produce a girl, on the other hand a Y chromosome sperm will produce a boy. Every egg also has 23 chromosomes. In total 46 chromosomes are required to make a human. This fusion of sperm and egg makes the number 46 in total.

Soon after the fertilization, the zygote starts to divide. This process continues until there is a cluster of cells formed. Five to seven days later the division and growth, it attaches itself to the wall of the uterus called the ‘womb’ and puts out root like veins called villi. These villi make sure that the embryo is well anchored to the lining of the uterus.  Villi will eventually become the placenta that feeds and protects the embryo or fetus. Through this placenta the embryo or fetus receives its oxygen and nutrition and expels waste.

Stages during pregnancy or trimesters:

There are 3 trimesters of pregnancy:

The 1st trimester:

In this phase there are 13 weeks known to be the first 13 weeks of pregnancy. In this stage the baby develops the fastest and becomes almost fully formed by the end of it. Most women say that this trimester is actually the period when they are most likely to feel tired, with nausea and breast tenderness.

The 2nd trimester:

The 14th to 26th week of the pregnancy is known as the third trimester. In this trimester it becomes obvious that the mother is pregnant. The body weight keeps increasing because of the growing baby, along with the expanded uterus and the placenta, and even the amniotic fluid, which the mother lays down extra reserves of fat. During the second trimester it is said that the mother will feel the baby's movements, like others if they place their hands on the mothers stomach. The movements may sometimes be observed without touching as well.

The 3rd trimester:

The 3rd trimester is from week 27 until the baby is born. In this trimester the baby will build up fat stores, this continues growing rapidly. In this phase the baby's lungs will develop, with his or her sense of hearing, tasting and sight. There are chances that the mother may experience backache and even find it harder to get into the right position for a good night's sleep. In this the mother will also be urinating more often as the baby and everything around him or her presses against her bladder. The mother may also experience contractions that take place many days or weeks before the birth - called Braxton Hicks contractions; these are not the contractions of labor.

Symptoms of pregnancy:

A woman is pregnant when there is an embryo or fetus developing in the uterus. So, if any of these signs and symptoms apply to you, then there is a good chance you being pregnant. Well, the first symptom is a must, whereas the others are possibilities. So, if your breasts are tender but your period has come, then certainly you are not pregnant; for this you must have a missed period.

Signs of pregnancy are:

1. Missed period
2. Nausea with or without vomiting
3. Tiredness
4. Dizziness
5. Breast changes
6. Breast tenderness
7. Frequent urination

Nausea is very common sign of pregnancy and generally affects pregnant women during the first three to four months of the pregnancy. Next to this comes tiredness, which tends to be more acute during the first and last three months.

Precautions to be taken during pregnancy:

Here are some steps for the best pregnancy, that a mother can do to reduce risks of complications for her and her baby:

• Number one is Physical Activity with some kind of moderate exercise. It not only helps in general health and bodyweight control,  but also prepares the mother for a more successful labor and delivery.
• Next to this is maintaining good bodyweight, so that the babies are born healthy.
• No smoking; is advised to a pregnant mother who smokes regularly, as this significantly increases the chances of having an underweight or premature baby.
• No Alcohol consumption; as the consumption of alcohol while pregnant can harm the baby.
• No Overworking; as too much work is linked to a higher risk of pregnancy problems.
• Medications; a pregnant mother should only take medicines that are prescribed to her by the doctor.
• Avoiding air pollution; as avoiding air pollution is hard if the mother lives in a highly polluted area. Yet certain strategies may be helpful like opening windows on the side of the house with less pollution coming in, avoiding certain streets, etc. 
• Some types of fish; have high levels of mercury, like shark, barracuda, marlin, swordfish. Tuna is also suggested to be avoided.
• Good Diet is a must for a pregnant mother; including plenty of fruits and vegetables, along with whole grains.
• Caffeine is to be avoided by a pregnant mother, or at least cut down on her caffeine intake.
• Avoiding bacterial infections from food is also a must.
• Gardening should be avoided as there are infections that can be picked up from soil and some animal feces.
• Cat feces can cause toxoplasmosis that may affect the baby. So a pregnant woman should avoid all contact with cat feces, along with cat litters and feces in soil.

Hot Flashes And Pregnancy: What Do You Really Know?

Hot flashes are a deeply unpleasant sensation and are traditionally associated with women in menopause. Yet like so many other things in the world of medicine, there is a host of misinformation on the topic, especially when it comes to hot flashes in women. Below are some questions for you to answer. Try this true or false quiz and see how much you really know about hot flashes and pregnancy.

1: True or False:
Hot flashes are only something that women in menopause must worry about as less than 5% of women who are pregnant suffer from them.

2: True or False:
Hot flashes only appear during the day and last for a very short period of time.

3: True or False:
All you need to do is change your diet and general lifestyle to gain relief from hot flashes.

4: True or False:
Hormone therapy is dangerous and should not be attempted when pregnant.

How do you think you did? Read the rest of this article for all the answers.

Answers:
1: Fluctuating hormones are the reason for hot flashes. This means that women whose hormones change rapidly for any reason are at risk. Obviously, women in menopause experience a major reduction in their level of hormone production but so do pregnant women. When you’re pregnant, your levels of progesterone and estrogen should increase dramatically.

On occasion, the level of progesterone does not rise enough and this deficiency causes problems with the body’s temperature gauge (hypothalamus). Hot flashes and pregnancy are the result with an estimated 75% of pregnant women suffering from this problem at some point during their pregnancy.

2: While it’s true that hot flashes may only appear for a few seconds, there is also the possibility that they will last for up to 5 minutes. Also, hot flashes don’t discriminate between day and night. You are as likely to experience them at 5am as 5pm.

3: As hot flashes and pregnancy is a hormonal problem, changing your diet and lifestyle will only have a slight effect. When you’re pregnant, you should of course be looking to eat healthily for the sake of the unborn child but don’t think this will affect your hot flashes.

4: The Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) study in 2002 was a damning indictment of synthetic hormone therapy. The WHI study showed that this form of hormone therapy was dangerous and could potentially cause breast cancer in women.

However, this does not take into account bioidentical hormone therapy. With the same molecular structure as hormones created in the body, bioidentical therapy has been proven to be safe with the WHI study not including it in its research at the time. Further research has shown that bio-identical hormones are in fact safe.

This means that progesterone creams are the ideal solution to hot flashes and pregnancy. The cream is applied to the skin once a day and involves no injections or other painful procedures. The ingredients are all-natural which makes it safe for mother and child.

Hopefully, your knowledge of hot flashes in pregnancy and hormone therapy has increased ever so slightly.

Profit, Greed And Lies: The Story Of Infertility Treatments

Go into any fertility clinic with your story about infertility and pregnancy and expect a sympathetic ear followed by a lengthy sales spiel extolling the virtues of their new treatments. They will begin by guaranteeing success before going back on their word. Watch as their statements change:

“You WILL get pregnant with this treatment.”

“You CAN afford this procedure. Just sign these forms and you’ll have an easy monthly direct debit payment.”

“There is a chance this won’t work.”

“You’re behind on your payment. You forget about the interest rate.”

“You have a 30% chance of getting pregnant.”

“We need your payment NOW.”

That’s the health industry right there. Tell you want you want to hear, you give them what they want and they don’t really care about your wellbeing after that. That’s right, they don’t care!

Why would they?

They got your money and fulfilled their obligation to treat you. After that, you’re a nobody, a non-entity. Infertility and pregnancy are like dollar signs to these companies. They kick you out the door and take in the next sucker, I mean patient. I have some news for you:

Companies That Offer Fertility Treatments Want You To Fail!

“But surely they have a reputation to maintain?”

They do, but their success rates are easy to find online. Despite all their promises, no one blames the ineffective treatment. Clinics have a way of making you feel like it’s your fault.

It’s YOUR body that’s to blame.

Their treatments are perfect.

The 65% fail rate of IVF treatments are all the patients’ fault.

The 75+% artificial insemination failure rate has nothing to do with them.

The 80% fertility drug failure rate? Medical science can’t work miracles.

No one ever stops and wonders if these medical centers are doing enough. Statistics like those above seem suspicious. It’s almost like these clinics are a boxer against an overmatched opponent. They toy with you, give you enough reason to think you can succeed then BAM!, they hit you with a knockout blow.

There is no doubt that infertility and pregnancy has no guaranteed solution. There will always be cases where either the man or the woman in a relationship simply can’t be part of reproduction. Yet the success rates should not vary so much.

Why are some surgeries up to 90% successful while other treatments work less than 10% of the time?

All that treatment centers need to do is point at statistics and say ‘well, it works some of the time’. This is essentially a disclaimer. The fact of the matter is: The more treatments that fail, the more money these guys make.

As has already been said, there is no perfect solution to the issue of infertility and pregnancy but there is a method of improving your chances for far less than the $15,000 some treatments cost. Progesterone is one of the chief hormones when it comes to reproduction. Women with low levels of progesterone have grave difficulty becoming pregnant.

Average HCG Levels during Pregnancy

As Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin (HCG) is so widely sold as a dietary aid, it is easy to forget that it is created naturally in a woman's body when she is pregnant. Once a fertilized egg is implanted in a woman's uterus, the hormone HCG becomes secreted. Often, a massive rise in a woman's HCG levels is one of the first indicators that she is pregnant. It is normal for a woman's HCG level to continue rising until she is between 10-11 weeks pregnant. Here is a quick table which shows you a woman's average HCG levels at various times during her pregnancy:

• 3 weeks - 5-50 ml U/ml
• 4 weeks - 5-426ml U/ml
• 5 weeks - 18-7,340 mlU/ml
• 6 weeks - 1,000-56,000 mlU/ml
• 8 weeks - 650-230,000 mlU/ml
• 12 weeks - 25,000-300,000 mlU/ml

Generally, a woman's level of HCG will start to drop at this stage. In general, women with less than 5 mlU/ml are considered as not being pregnant whereas women with a HCG level of above 25 mlU/ml are deemed to be pregnant. Women with a reading in between these figures need a follow up test.

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Although pregnant women should certainly keep track of their HCG level, especially in the early weeks of pregnancy, they should not become obsessed over it. The fact that physicians do not take regular HCG levels (unless there is bleeding or something else is wrong) suggests that they are not excessively important. However, if you feel that something is amiss during your pregnancy, forget about your HCG levels and contact your doctor immediately.

Why Do I Have Low HCG Levels?
As we have already mentioned, HCG levels tend to decline after 11 weeks and it is not uncommon for pregnant women to see a major difference between their reading and the average HCG levels for that point in the pregnancy. HCG levels can be affected by use of antibiotics. Obviously, you should not be taking such medications or treatments once it is known that you are pregnant. You need to remember that each pregnant woman's individual HCG level varies. If your level doubles every 48 hours, then everything is normal, regardless of what the physical reading is. Those interested in losing weight safely and easily can avail of HCG cream which is just $197 for a bottle which will last you for 200 days!